Hot Chocolate
by DobbyRocksSocks
Summary: Barty can't sleep, but when he goes to the kitchens, he finds he's not alone in his insomnia.


**Disclaimer - I won nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges at the bottom.**

 **Word Count - 862**

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 **Hot Chocolate**

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He pushed open the portrait that guarded the kitchen, expecting to find it empty aside from the house elves. He blinked when he saw Regulus standing over a pan, stirring whatever was in it continuously.

Letting his eyes adjust to the lower candle light, Barty closed the portrait behind him and walked deeper into the kitchen.

"What are you doing here?" Barty asked, seating himself at the table closest to where Reg stood.

"I'm making hot chocolate, if you want some?"

Barty smiled, a sense of nostalgia filling him. Regulus' love of chocolate had led to their first conversation. The memory was still vivid in his mind.

…

" _Did that just… hop?"_

 _The boy that had joined him in his compartment stared at him for a moment, before he scowled. "Are you a muggle-born?"_

 _Barty shook his head, his eyes still on the frog on the table. "No. I'm Barty Crouch."_

" _Oh. Regulus Black," the boy introduced himself. "But if you're pure, how have you never seen a chocolate frog?"_

" _My father doesn't like chocolate," Barty muttered, looking away, embarrassed._

" _What sort of a monster doesn't like chocolate?" Regulus exclaimed, picking up one of the still packaged frogs from his small pile and throwing it to Barty. "Here! Eat! Chocolate is_ glorious!"

…

"Love some," Barty replied. "So what are you doing here? Aside from making hot chocolate."

Regulus shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. Apparently insomnia is catching."

Nodding his head, Barty leant on the table, crossing his arms and resting his chin on top of them. "We only have a few months left. I don't know whether to be excited or terrified."

"Probably both. Both seem appropriate."

While anyone (the elves, sneaky little spies they were) listening would believe the boys to be talking about leaving Hogwarts for the last time, they weren't.

…

" _What the bloody hell are you doing?" Regulus demanded, staring at Barty._

 _Barty looked up from the paper he was folding and smiled. "I had one of the muggle-borns in my house teach me how to make paper airplanes. It's relaxing."_

 _Picking up the one he'd just finished, he tossed it, watching it float across the back of the library._

 _Regulus shook his head. "Muggle things," he muttered, disgusted. "Sometimes I wonder about you."_

 _Barty shrugged. "I told you, it's relaxing. Plus it annoys my father, which is always a bonus."_

" _Until you're punished, you mean?"_

" _Don't know what you're talking about," Barty replied automatically, his tone flat. "I'm the apple of his eye, he wouldn't hurt me."_

" _Hate to burst your denial bubble, but I'm not stupid," Regulus replied quietly. "I recognise the signs."_

" _As if your parents would ever hurt you," Barty replied, incredulous._

" _Not me," Regulus agreed. "Sirius. He rebelled against our parents. A lot. And he paid for it."_

" _What was he rebelling against?"_

 _Regulus sighed. "You know who my family are, Barty. Sirius wanted to be 'good'."_

 _Barty snorted. "What is good though? It's all based on perspective really, isn't it? My father is against 'the evils of our world', and yet he has no problem beating his son up when he needs an outlet for his frustration."_

" _You know who says he doesn't believe in good and evil. Only power. It's interesting, don't you think?" Regulus asked, and Barty could see he was treading carefully._

" _He has a lot of interesting ideas," Barty replied carefully. "His execution of said ideas leaves me wary though. He seems to be ruled by impulse a lot of the time. That's scary."_

" _But… you're not against him as such?" Regulus asked, and there was a hint of desperation to his tone that broke Barty's heart a little._

 _Resting his hand over Reg's, he murmured, "It doesn't matter to me if you support him or not. You'll still be my Regulus. That's all that matters."_

…

Regulus joined Barty at the table, putting two steaming mugs of hot chocolate down in front of them.

"You going to tell me what's really bothering you?" Regulus asked, nudging Barty's shoulder with his own.

"I'm so afraid of failing you," Barty whispered, sitting up and wrapping his hands around the mug. "What if _he_ doesn't want me? Will he just kill me? Will he stop me from seeing you? I don't… What if I lose you?"

Regulus wrapped his arm around Barty's shoulder, pulling the slightly smaller boy into his side. "You're not going to lose me. I've already written to Bella to ask her to alert _him_ that you're coming with me. It'll be fine, Barty, you'll see."

Barty nodded then turned his head to press a kiss to Regulus' neck. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Barty leant against Regulus while they drank their hot chocolate, and then he sat up, a mischievous smile on his face.

"Did you know it's snowing outside?"

"For real?"

Barty nodded. "Yep. Saw it on my way down."

"And you let me sit here? What kind of a boyfriend are you?! Let's go and play!"

"You're a child," Barty snorted, amused. "And you're going to get us both a detention."

Regulus shrugged. "Snow, Barty. Why are you still sitting down? Let's go!"

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 **Written for;**

 **Character Appreciation** \- 7. Last

 **Disney** \- T3 - A character's perspective on good and evil.

 **Shannons Showcase** \- Bubble / Candle

 **Book Club** \- Ruby - Excitement / Impulse / Snow

 **Buttons** \- D1. "What sort of a monster doesn't like chocolate." / W3. Glorious

 **Ami's Audio** \- 6. Apple of his eye

 **Sophie's Shelf** \- 7. Someone heard in a story but not seen

 **Showtime** \- 14. "I'm so afraid of failing you."

 **Pokemon** \- Barty / Vivid / "I'm making hot chocolate, if you want some." / making paper airplanes.

 **Photography** \- 5. A wizard doing something muggle.

 **Cooking Corner** \- Cinnamon - Hot Chocolate

 **Scavenger Hunt** \- 1. Write about a Black

 **Insane House Challenge** \- 14. Regulus Black


End file.
